Garment spotting machine



Sept. 26, 1939. E. F MORKEN I 2,174,387

GARMENT SPOTTING MACHINE F11-ed Aug. 1o, 19:56 2 sheets-sheet 1 BY 9% N/Mid ATTORNEK r Sept. 26, 1939. E. F. MORKEN 2,174,387

GARMENT SPOTT ING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1o, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 2 w M BY QM/W ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in garment spotting machines such as are employed for the removal of stains from soiled clothing and adapted for use in dry cleaning or clothes renovating establishments.

An object of the invention is to afford an apparatus for conveniently subjecting soiled garments to the action of steam applied at close range under proper control and desired volume for the purpose of removing water-soluble deposits that ordinarily cause stains, spots, and discolorattion of fabric, such as under-arm perspiration or other absorptions of foreign matter.

Another object is to provide apparatus for conveniently applying dry or wet steam to a garment, especially through the spotted or stained portions, and to remove from the garment the condensations of the steam together with the dross that becomes broken up and separated. y

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention, portions thereof being cut away;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the spotting table, a portion being cut away to show the underconstruction of the table;

. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a cross-section of the appliance, the section being on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the damper mechanism; and

Fig. 5' is a side elevation of the throttle valve and its operating lever.

The illustrative embodiment of the, invention consists of a base I having a standard 2 fromwhich extends a stand-pipe 3 having a horizontally extending hollow arm 4. Upon the arm is supported a spotting table 5 that is constituted of a tray ILWhich is closed at its bottom and has in its top a corrugated plate 1. In the bottom creases of the corrugated plate are made numerous perforations 8 for the passage therethrough of condensations of steam, and the tray 0 has a connection 9 with the hollow arm 4 for the passage of condensations and dross from the tray into said arm. i

Upon the base I is mounted a suction fan Ill of any suitable type provided with an electric motor II by which it is driven. The intake port I2 Within the arm 4 located between the connection 8 and the stand-pipe 3 is provided a damper I4 that is operatively associated with a pedal I5 by means of acable I6 that is connected at ,one end with an operating disc I I for the damper and 6 at its other end with an arm I3 that extends from a rock-shaft I9, that is operated by the pedal I5, there being a pulley block 20 attached to the tray through which the cable extends and is thereby held in proper alinement with the operl0 ating disc I1 and the arm I8. A spring 2l is arranged in connection with the hollow arm 4 and operating disc Il to hold the damper normally in open position and permits the damper to be closed by the pull of the cable I3 when the pedal 15 I5 is depressed. A stop 4' extends upwardly from the arm and projects through an arcuate slot I1' made in the 'operating disc so that the closing and opening movements of the damper are thereby limited.

The lower end oi' the stand-pipe 3 is closed and is provided with a hand-operated drain-cock 22 through which accumulated condensations of steam and dross in the stand-pipe are removed. Also, `-the arm 4 has an upwardly extending tubu- 25 lar branch 23 adapted for the support of a nozzle 24, hereinafter referred to, when, the tip of the nozzle is insertedtherein, said branch having open communication with said arm.

The tame s is provided with a covering 25 of 30 fabric or other suitable pervious material that is secured to the marginal edges of the table and lies fiat upon the upper ridges of the corrugated plate 1.

Means are provided for supplying steam from a 35 suitable source (not shown) to the table top through the nozzle 24 which is adapted for manual operation. Preferably, there is provided a separator chamber 26 that is connected with a steam supply pipe 21 and has communication at 40 its upper and lowerends with a discharge pipe 28 by means of corresponding pipe connections 29 and 30, said pipe connections being provided with hand-operated valves 3l and 32 respectively. Also, the lower end of the chamber 26 has communication with the stand-pipe 3 through a pipe 33 which is provided with a hand-operated valve 34. The chamber 2B receives support on the arm 4 by means of a post 35 that is conveniently connected with a supply pipe fixture 3Ii that-connects 5 the supply pipe With-said chamber.

The lower end of the discharge pipe 28 has secured thereon a suitableself closing throttle valve 31, of any well known type, that is opened only upon operation of a spring-restrained operin the chamberare permitted ating lever il. 'Ihe valve IT has connected thereto a flexible hose Il. the free end of which is connected with said noaaie Il and is of sumcient length as to permit the ncaale to be moved freely over the spotting table. 'Ihe throttle valve lever Il is operatively associated with a pedal ll through the medium of a second rockahaft li which is provided with a swinling arm I2 andarodthathaaconnecticnwiththefree end of said arm andthe throttle valve lever Il, the arrangement being such that when said pedal l. is depressed the throttle valve 81 is thereby opened accordingly more or less.

The motor il is connected with a suitable source of energy by an ordinary electric circuit (not shown) that is controlled by a manuallyoperated switch M preferably of the type adaptedtccausevariationofthemotorspeed, asin the customary practice.

A shelf Il is supported convenientlyl in a horisontal piane between the base and the table which serves to prevent portions of garments that hang over the table from being soiled from contact with the iloor.

In using the invention the garment to be treated is slipped upon the table and is spread out upon the covering Il. The motor isthen set in motion, whereupon, through action of the fan. vacuum is created in the stand-pipe, and, the valve il, being normally open, there is caused a down draft of atmosphere through that portion of the garment that overlies the covering Il into thp/a'n. In this manner the overlying portion of the garment is drawn iiat against the covering where it is firmly held because of the suction induced by the fan. The regulating valves 3i, llandllarethenadiustedaccordingtothe moisture condition of the steam desired. For instance,ifdrysteamisrequired,thevalvesli andtlareopenedsothatsteamfromthetopof the separator chamber is admitted to the discharge pipe Il and the condensations of steam upon opening of the valve u to drain through the pipe u into the stand-pipe. When wet steam is required the 'valve t! is opened and the valves Il and ll are closed. Thus. the steam from the supply pipe passes through the chamber with entrained moisture from the bottom of the chamber into the discharge pipe. By adjustment of these valves is relulated the amount of moisture in the steam as it is admitted by the throttle valve into thehoseto bedischargedthroughthenozzle.

In applying steam to the garment the operator depresses the pedal Il, whereupon the throttle isopenedandmoreorlesssteamisdischarged through the noalle. l'he nozzle tip is then directed toward the spots and stains that appear on the garment and is maneuveredy at close range sothat thesteamimderpressureofitsow from the noslie tip passes directly through the gar- 'meit against the table covering. During this operation the discharged steam is drawn through the covering onto the corrugated plate and through the perforations in the plate into the stand-pipe because of the vacuum sustained therein by operation of the fan. After that portion of the garment that overiies the table has been cleaned. the operator. thereupon, by depressingthepedai llcausesthedamper il to ciosewith theresult'thatthevacuuminthepan becomes substantially nii, thus permitting the garment to be maueuvered over the table top as arrasa? desired to draw other portions oi' the gement onto the top for treatment.

By applying the steam Jet over the entire portion of the garment that is supported on the table top many spots and discolorations ,that ordinarily are invisible are quickly eliminated which otherwise might become visible when the garment'is subjected later to the usual ironing process.

'Ihe apparatus thus constructed and applied facilitates renovation of spotted or stained garments without resort to the common use of spotting brushes, chamois. and often obviating use oi' chemicals.

By the arrangement of foot pedals upon the floor with the damper and throttle valve respectively for their control, the operator is enabled to regulate the vacuum in the pan and the discharge of steam through the nozzle by manipulating the pedals with his feet thereby permitting free use of his hands in maneuvering the zionale and shifting the garment upon the table Preferably, when operation of the apparatus is suspended, the nozzle Il is placed in supported connection with the tubular branch 2l by inserting the tip of the nozzie therein so that drippings from the nozzle drain will fall into the stand-pipe.

What I claim is:

1. In garment spotting apparatus. a standpipe having a hollow supporting base and a hollow arm, the lower end of said stand-pipe having a valve-controlled drain-cock, a hollow table mounted on said arm, and having a communicating connection with said hollow arm and provided with a perforated plate in its top, a pervious covering disposed over said plate. a suction member having connection with said standpipe for maintaining vacuum therein, a pedaloperated damper, located in said hollow arm between said communicating connection and said suction member, a steam supply having a discharge pipe provided with a pedal-operated throttle-valve, the pedal for said throttle-valve being looted in convenient juxtaposition with the damper pedal, a hose connected with said throttle-valve terminating with a nome, and a constantly open tubular branch on said arm adapted to support said nozzle when the tip thereof is inserted in said branch through which drippings of the nozzle are. drained into said stand-pipe.

2. In garment spotting apparatus, a hollow supported stand-pipe having a horizontal hollow arm at its top and a drain-cock in its bottom, a

hollow table mounted on said ann having a perwith said throttle-valve terminating with a nozzle through which to apply steam to a garment when spread on the top of the table, and an opening in said arm adapted to receive the tip of said nozzle whereby drippings ot the -nozzle are drained into said stand-pipe.

EDWARD F. MORKEN. 

